Royal Challengers to face Deccan Chargers Wednesday

Cape Town, April 21 (IANS) After starting the new season on a high, the two bottom-placed teams of last year — Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers — will have plenty at stake to fight for when they meet in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match here Wednesday. The Royal Challengers made an excellent start with a thumping 75-run win over defending champions Rajasthan Royals, but slumped to a huge 92-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings in the second match where they were blown away by Mathew Hayden’s blazing 65 off 35 balls.

Deccan Chargers, too, looked a changed outfit with new captain Adam Gilchrist leading them to an eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Both teams have looked completely changed this year as the players have shown purpose.

The Hyderabad team is a formidable outfit and going by the way they outclassed Knight Riders in all departments, they will not be taken lightly by any opponent. Chargers have big-hitting batsmen, brilliant fielders and a good bowling attack that can exploit the conditions.

Rudra Pratap Singh and Dwayne Bravo did not allow the KKR batsmen to settle right from the start. Singh, who was a big success in India’s T20 World Cup triumph two years back here, swung the ball both ways to claim four wickets and bowl out KKR for 101 runs.

Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma, who was outstanding on the field, saw the team through in just 13.1 overs.

Led by veterans Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, Royal Challengers came out firing against Rajasthan Royals to turn the tables on Shane Warne’s side.

But they failed to get their act together against Super Kings. The bowling looked ordinary as Hayden and Parthiv Patel ripped them apart to reach 179 in 20 overs. Jacques Kallis’ inclusion in place of New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder, who bolwed well in the first match, did not work and skipper Kevin Pietersen will have a re-look at the line-up.

“We could not execute our plans against Super Kings. But the tournament is still open and we will come back in the next match,” Pietersen said.